Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-1994
Publication Title
American Journal Of Physics
Department
Physics
Abstract
It is widely believed that measurement is accompanied by irreversible entropy increase. This conventional wisdom is based in part on Szilard's 1929 study of entropy decrease in a thermodynamic system by intelligent intervention (i.e., a Maxwell's demon) and Brillouin's association of entropy with information. Bennett subsequently argued that information acquisition is not necessarily irreversible, but information erasure must be dissipative (Landauer's principle). Inspired by the ensuing debate, we revisit the membrane model introduced by Szilard and find that it can illustrate and clarify (1) reversible measurement, (2) information storage, (3) decoupling of the memory from the system being measured, and (4) entropy increase associated with memory erasure and resetting.
Volume
62
Issue
11
pp.
994-1000
ISSN
0963-8288
WorldCat Link
Citation
Leff, Hs, and Andrew F. Rex. 1994. "Entropy of Measurement and Erasure - Szilards Membrane Model Revisited." American Journal Of Physics 62(11): 994-1000.